Fluid-actuated clutch.



' No. 847,572. PATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

B. M. W. HANSON. FLUID AGTUATED CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I PATENTBD MAR. 19, 1907. B. M. W. HANSON.

FLUID ACTUATED CLUTCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3, 1905.

Y l 2 SHEETS-SHEETZ. Eg: c5.

smilies PATENT oEEIoE.

BnNGT M. HANSON. on Hnn'rnenn, CONNECTICUT, .Assiettes Tov PRATT & WHITNEY COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION l0E NEW JERSEY.'

' Te'ell'wleene einen eeneere:

Be it known that I, Benen M- W- Hen.- Sen e eitinen ef Sweden, residing ett-Hette ford; .the elennty ef Hettietd end Stete ef s Cenneetient, lieveinyeiited eertein nen.v and linnneye'ntente in "Fluid detente-d Gliitehee, et -iyliie'ii the telieyyins ie.' e eieeilientien.. inyentien .relates te elete'liee, end Ineke rettile lerly te deyieee eftlle eliefree'ter' ed in yiliieh n nid endet presente# ee, .eeinpneeeed eirffie utilised ne die nietiye .fleidfer eetneting the elnteli end conneetin it te-tne element 'te be dtiyenis ebieeteitheinyentienie the i e elntelt embodying en element .ite Werk by fluid enden-presente 1' A'fntther ebieetof theinyentien'ietlie pref visi. .nei eender rigid ledili the Slieit, en .elef Inentte be driven ieee eneeidelieft. end. e-

. lneyeble element cennee'ted te the "eerrier and epernted by flnidpreeenrete eenee l it te etteeh said lense element'. .te 'the @einer ente release it therefrom. i

2s Aint her Obi eet ef the invention ie .the previeien et e shaft keying neeeegee. for the ed-l mienienef tinid, e denier .rigid with the Shaft and having nneeegee .eemninnientin with these" of Seid theft, end etlexible '.ek er disks.; ef leather,l rubber, er other suitable materiel, adapted te be' tilietendledv by. 'deidpressure and to lock'an element loose on the Shaft tit-Seid denier; ee diet it will be driven by Said earlier'.

Other objects ofthe invention. will be set forth in the ilollowing description. Figure 1 is an end levation of machine With whichv my invention may be employed.- Fig. 2 is a side elevationotsuchv 4o a machine. Fig; 3 is a longitndinal vertical section. of a valve, showing the means for ac tuating saidivalve in elevation'. Fig. 4- is a section onlinei 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 a longitudinalfvertioal section showing the iniproved clutch; and Fig.` 6 is a similar view of theishaft. to which the clutch-disk or carrier is attached, showing the iiuidpressure lcon-l4` nections.'

Like numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,'the numeral 1 designates a shaft, vand 2 a driven shaft, both -j ournaled in framework. A, of any desired del-hA .Sneeineetien .n f Lettere Peeein-v l Application yiilezl llllarch 3,1905. Serial No. 248,231.

e .ferm ef' Patented March 19, 1907.

vSeriptien- .Meelienietn ef any desired kind ntny be utilized fer eetneting the Shaft -l freni e shaft. B-for inetenee, the belt-gearing designated in e general wey by .C in'ligeyl an l idly fastened iii-'Sleeve 3', eei'rying'nt eneend e 'Une n'ttleSlifett 1.1 ie keyed eret-.herwiee ,nig-

leise geen e and at ite eppesite' extremity e t eni'eller geen .5r It is, however, irnineteriel Whether the genre 4 Aand 5 terni ne .ef 'e Sleee, eeehewn, er ereeenneeted- Ways. te the theft 1,-

Keyed te the driven Shaft 2 are bushings .6., keying flanged inner ende` .6i 6% and neen' the bashing .6 .iSi leeeely indented et lense een 7 1n engagement with the smell. gee.r 5 .0. Sltefi 'Lfiyhile en the lenehing 6 is else -ieeeely shown in Fig. '15. Rigid vvith'thfe vshaftintermedielte the `flanged inner endev f the lliiel1-` ings is eeerrier ein Gluten-dink 1.5` the eidesef seid eeriierlbe'in eirenntferentielly steered at respectivefj,T to form passage-Ways forv fluid linden pressur as hereinafter described.:

Lending frein said grooves are chambers 16 16', reSPeetiV-ely, andi-l1 'the' body .0f the disk i 15 are passages 1 7 17. reepeetively, eeintnne `nicating with said chambers, regdteririg with passages 18 18"in the shaftv2, and opening into a longitudinal bore 19 thereof.l Clampl ing rings 20 .21, havin circumferential flanges 20 21.', aresecure` to the'ca-rrier'l by screw-bolts 22. Disks or diaphragme 2 3 23,- Qf leather or other suitable material, are clamped to the clutch-disk or carrier 15 by the ilarlges'ZO 21. To receive the ange 6? of bnshin 6,- the gear-Wheel 7 is grooved on its inner si e as at 7', and this results in an overhanlgling straight circumferential bearing-face 24, avin ,preferably, rounded ends 24. y ing-face 24 the disk 23 is forced 'by the fluid When admitted throughy the'chamber v16 and Against sai bear.

IOO

conduits .17 18, as v.will 'be hereinafter deof bushing' 6l and is provided Withastraight bearing-face 25, having rounded ends said catch-surface has an extension 50, prosaid bearing-face being enga'ged -by the disk vided with an inclinedinner wall 50. J our- 23 when fluid under pressurel is admitted to the chamber 16 through the passages 17 18.

Each disk 23 23- is clamped against inclined bearing-faces 26 of the circumferential ianges 20 21,`the result being that'the disk is placed under tension and normally tends to spring inwardl and assume a bowed form when not in contact with the bearingface ofthe gear-wheel with which it coperates, as shown by the disk 23 at the right of carrier 15 in 2. When, however, pressure is a pliedto either disk, it is straightcned wit a toggle-like action and is forced i snugly into contact with the bearing-face of the ear-wheel, thereby locking said earwhee to the carrier i5. Cutting and ac-` ture of the disks are prevented by the rounded corners of the bearing-faces, and a full fiat bearing of the disk against its bea-ringface is the result of the construction above described, as clearly lshown in Fig. 2.

For delivering motive -fluid under pressu e 4 tothe passages 17 17 and'chambers 16 16 any Adesired connections may be em loyed, and I have shown for this pur ose a here 19 in shaft 2, communicating'wit the passage .18, and a tube 28, inserted in said bore and having a port 28 registering with the passa e 18.

i eyed tothe shaft 2 and mounted on a reduced end 29 thereof is a collar 30,.-and adj acent to said collar and loose on the shaft is an annulus 31, havin .a circumferential' oove 32 in its inner wal and said ipe lookin the annulus against r0- tatio-n with the sha t. Adjacent to the annulus 31 is a second loose annulus 35, having an inner circumferential groove 36 communieating by a port 37 in shaft 2 with a port 38 in the head 282- of tube 28.i 'A pipe 39 is threaded into the annulus 35 and conveys duid to the groove 36 thereof. To secure the annuli 31 35 to the reduced end of the shaft, a collar 40 bears against the annulus 35 and a s lit-nut 41 is threadedl on the end of the sha t and bears against'said collar. For regulating the su ply offluid tothe conduits 33 39 any desire means maybe employed, and I have shownfor ,this purpose a pistonvalve now to be described.

Designated by 42 is a valve-casing having a dovetailed base 43 by which it is secured to the framework of the machine and held in Riace by a gib 44 and bolt 45. A slotted anger 46 depends from the valve-casing, and 4in said hanger is pivoted anvan le-lever 47, the longer arm of which'has an o tuse u per end 43, while the short arm is inclined or veied at 49 to form a catch-surface and below v 47 bears.

For supplying uid tol "said groove a pip-e 33 is threaded into the anlatchlever is accomp naled in the hanger is a shaft 51, carrying an arm 52, the free end of which has a latchingshoulder 52', adapted to snap over the catchsurface 49y and to lock the lever 47 when the same is rocked to throw its long arm inward. A torsion-spring 53 surrounds the shaft 51, and one terminal 53 of said spring bears against the hanger '46 and the other terminal 53"" against the latch-arm 52, said spring serving normally to throw the latch to its locking position.

In the valve-casing 42 is a longitudinal bore 54, and in said bore are iitted a plug 55, a coiled spring 56, and a piston-valve 57, the latter having a reduced portion 57 entering the spring and also having collars 572, a slotted collar 573, and al reduced .outer end 574, against which the en d of the long arm of lever In the valve-casing are an inductionrt 58, communicating with a iuidsupp y conduit 59, and eduction-ports 60 and 61, registering with thel discharge-pipes 33 and 39, .the latter being held on. the chambered nipples 62 and 63 by couplings 66. An exhaust-port 67 is formed in the casing, and a like port 68 is provided in the collar 573.

For operating the valve-controlling lever 47 and its latch any desired mechanism may be employed, or said parts maybe actuated by hand, if desired. Among other devices lwhich may be employed for this purpose are the following, viz: Designated by 69 is a carrier, which may be of any suitable kind, but is shown as of wheel shape, and said carrier is secured to a rotary shaft 70, which may constitute'an element of an automatic machine in which the improved clutch is employed. This Wheel is providedywith a rim 7 0' having lateral undercut extensions 7()2 anda concave top 703. Shoes 71 and 72, each shaped on its under side ,to iit the undercut extensions 702` actuate t clutch-disks 23 23 when it becomes necessary to impart different speeds to the shaft 2, and the conduits 33 39 are employed to convey the motive Huid to the passages leading to said disks.

As evident, the spring 56 normally tends to 'throw the piston-valve outward, and the latch-lever 52 must be tripped to permit of this action." This tripping movement of the ished by the dog 76 of IOC IIS

l theend of said latch-'lever and forces the same backward against the action of the spring 53.1 In this position of the valve fluid from pipe 9 passes through the valve-casing and port 61 thereof to the pipe 39, enters the circular passage 36 in collar 35, and through the port 29 is conveyed to the tube 28, and

leaving said tube by the port 28 itenters passages 18 17 and chamber 16 of the carrier and exerts its force to drive the disk 23 against the bearing-face of gear 8, thus clutching said gear to the carrier-'and causing -f the shaft 2 to be driven athigh speed; After 5 thefperiod during which it is necessary vto drive the shaft 2 at high speed has expired' the piston-valve must be returned, and this is accomplished by the dog 7 5 of shoe 71, which as its carrier rotates will strike the`in'clined lower end of the latch-lever 47 and will cause said lever to force the valve inward against the tension of spring 56, thereby diverting the pressure fluid to the pipe 33. As the upper end of said lever 47 is pushed 4inward the shoulder or latch of the lever 52 snaps behind the catch on said lever 47 and locks said lever until again released in the manner above de,- scribed. 'When thrown inward, as just described, the piston-valve permits the passage of fluid through port to pipe 33, from which it enters the groove 32 of collar 31 and passes through the port 34 into the bore 19 of shaft 2, and emerging from said bore it travels through thepassages 18 17 and chamber 16 and exerts its .force to drive theflexible disk 23 against theI bearing-surface 24 of gear 7, thus locking said gear tothe carrier 15 and. imparting a slower movement of rotation to the shaft 2. As one flexible clutchdisk isadvanced the other isfreleased and immediately assumes a bowed form, as shown by Fig. 5, the exhaust escaping through the passages described and the ports in the valvecasing and on the valve, according to the position of said disks.

By adjusting the shoes 71 and 7 2along the wheel-rim the valve may be actuated at any desired time to control' the movement of the clutch-disks with reference to the gear-wheels with which they are to be alternately engaged'.` v.

No claim is herein made to the. valve and its operating mechanism, for said devices constitute the subject-matter of my application filed December 19, 1.904, Serial No. 237,543.

While a certain form of machine isillustrated for the purpose of showing an embodiment of the invention, it is distinctly to be understood that the invention relates to clutches generally and is limited to no specific art.

Changes may be made in many details of the construction described," andA a fiexible clutch of any suitable material may be substituted for that shown without departure Having thus described my invention, what I claim-is'-x 1. The combination; with an element having a clutch-surface, ofa shaft; a carrier rigid with- .the shaft; a flexible 'clutch element 4:means for securing said flexible clutch element to the carrier so-that it willassume a buckled form 3 and means for forcin the flexible element to engage the .other c utch element.

2. The combination, with .a rotary shaft, ofa carrier rigid with said shaft; a iexible clutch element secured to the carrier so that it will assume a buckled form an element loose on the shaft and means for forcing the buckled flexible clutch element tfofengage the other element. f

3. The' combination, with a vrotary shaft having passa s for receiving fluid, ofa carrier rigid with sage communicatin with one of the passages in the shaft; a buck ed diaphragm-secured to the carrier; an element with which said dia# phrag'm is adapted to engage ,j and -meansfor supp ying fluid to said shaft.

4. The combination, with a rotaryshaft, of a carrier ri'g d with the shaft; buckled, iiexible clutchelements secured'tothecarrier; driven lelements loose onthe'shafa and each having a clutch-surface; 4and Ineansljfor forcing either flexible clutch"elementgt'oen.-y gage the driven element with which-'it' coperates.

5. The combination, with ashaft having passages to receive fluid under pressure', of

Ameans for controlling the supply of fluid to said shaft; a carrier rigidwith the shaft, and having a passage registering with one of those in the shaft; a buckled diaphragm secured to the carrier; and an element having a clutchsurface with which said diaphragm may be engaged.

6. The combination, with a rotary shaft having a bore and a passage leading from said bore, of a carrier rigid withthe shaft, and having a passage; a buckled iiexible diaphragm; an element with which saidV diathe shaft, and having a pas-4 rot' IIO

phragm is adaptedto'engage; and means-for supplying fluid under pressure to said bore. 7. The combination, with a rotary shaft having a bore -and a passage leading from said bore, of a carrier rigid with the shaft,l and having a passage; a buckled flexible diaphragm; an element with which, said diav phragm lis adapted to engage; means for supplying fluid under pressure to said bore; and

fluid.

8. The combination, with a rotary shaft -a valve for controlling the supply ofsaid l and having a passage; a buckled flexibledia-l having a bore and a passage leading from; said bore, of a carrier rigid with the shaft,

phragm; .an element with which said diaphragm is adapted to engage ;means for supplying fluid under pressure to said bore g a valve for controlling the'supply of said. fluid; and means for actuating said valve.

9. In a clutch, the combination, with a rotary carrier, of a flexible diaphragm; means for securi saidA diaphragm to the carrier so that it -Wil assume a buckled form g an elelment cooperating with the diaphragm and carrier, andl having an engaging surface for the diaphragm; and means for supplying fluid under pressure, and for conveyingr 1t to a. point Where' it Will act against the buckled diaphragm.

10. 'The combination, with ashaft, of a pair of driven elements loose on said shaft; a ca'irier rigid. with the shaft intermediate said elements; flexible diaphragmsmeans for securing said diaphragms to -the sidesof the carrier so that they normally assume a bowed form; andl means for alternately connecting said diaphragms with said driven elements.

, 11'. The combination, with a: carrierof a diaphragm secured thereto so that it will normally assume a buckled form; a clutch element with which the diaphragm may be engaged; and means for forcing the diaphragm against the clutch element.

12. The combination, with a rotary shaft, of a carrier rigid with said shaft; a clamping* ring having. an inclined surface; a diaphragm secured to the carrier by said `clamping-ring so that it Will assume a. buckled form; means for distending the diaphragm; and a clutch element with -which theA diaph;agm may be engaged.

13- The combination, with a rotary carrier having'an inclined surface, of a clamp also having an inclined surface; a flexible diaphragm secured to the carrier by the clamp so that itwill normally assume a bowed form g a clutch element with which the diaphragm may engage; and1 means for distending said diaphragm and forcing it into straight engagement with saidclutch element.

14. The combination, with a rotary carrier, of a flexible diaphragm secured thereto; a `driven element having a rounded edge surface and a flat clutch-surface; and means for forcing the diaphragm against the flat clutchsurface.

15. The combination, with a rotary carrier having inclines on its sides, of clamping rings fitted to the carrier and having inclined circumferential flanges; diaphragms attached to the sides of the carrier by said clampingrings; means for alternately distending said diaphragms; and driven elements having clutch-surfaces adapted to be engaged by the diaphragms.l

16. The combination, with a rotary shaft, of au carrier rigid therewith; flexible diaphragms; rings having inclined surfaces for securing said diaphragme to the carrier; fluidpressure devices for distending the diaphragms; and exhaust devices for relieving pressure on one diaphragm when the other diaphragm is distended..

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BENGT M. W.VHANSON.

Witnesses.:

N. S. BATES, E. C. BENEDICT. 

